I'd like to thank all the people who've stuck around through two parts of my fic and are reviewing.  All you newbies….Come on in and welcome to the show!  Feel free to comment, ne?  And as for those who don't review…there's still time 'til I sic Sephy-chan on ya. *clinging tightly to a leash on a collar around Sephiroth's neck.  He's just looking very bored*

I hope you're not bored yet!  You still have to see Home-body Sephiroth!

*     *     *

Cloud followed Zack out into the parking lot.  There was that beauty of a motorcycle, parked just where they had left it, and beside it was a nondescript jeep, that, none-the-less, looked well maintained.  Much more practical transportation…But who the hell wanted practical?

            Zack grinned at Cloud.  "So, you wanna take the jeep or the bike?"

            Cloud blinkblinked.  /You mean I get a choice?  Well, why the hell do you even need to ask!?/  "Heh, heh…Uhm, whatever, I guess," he said, deciding to be courteous.

            Zack smiled.  "Well, why don't you take the bike.  Me and Seph'll take the jeep."

            Cloud's eyes went wide as saucers, and Sephiroth noted that now he looked his age.  "You mean…You want me to drive it on my own?"

            Zack frowned.  "Well, yeah.  You are checked out on motorcycles, aren't you?"

            Cloud looked a little irritated.  "Of course!  It's just…well, I've got this problem with speed limits.  Put me on anything with an ounce of power, and I just can't seem to stick to the limit.  I don't want to get a ticket on your bike."

            Zack grinned.  "Who in their right mind wouldn't want to speed on a bike like mine?  Besides Sephy here, who drives like an old granny."  Cloud stared at Zack, then at Sephiroth.

            Sephiroth scowled.  "Do not.  I just save up my road rage for when I really need it, that's all."

            "Yeah, sure.  We believe you."  Zack had that cheeky grin on his face again.  He turned back to Cloud.  "Don't worry 'bout it, Spike.  The limits aren't really enforced here; no MPs.  We determine what dangerous driving is ourselves, here, and, since we're all enhanced, it's a lot faster and wilder than back in the normal sectors.  Speed limits are just suggestions."  Zack smiled sympathetically.  "If you want, you can borrow my helmet…"

            Cloud shook his head vehemently.  "Sharing helmets is like sharing gum: totally disgusting."

            Sephiroth said in an even voice, "I don't see why you even bother with a helmet, Zack.  Your head could withstand a comet crashing into it."

            Zack glared.  "Ha, ha, very funny.  You're just jealous."

            "Of what?"

            Zack paused a moment in thought.  "Damn.  Good question.  Got me that time, Seph."

            Cloud watched this exchange with amusement.  Even though Sephiroth gave the impression that he was as cold as ice and as distant as the stars around other people, and Zack was happy and open with everyone, it was obvious that with Zack, Sephiroth melted a bit, and with Sephiroth, Zack was no longer just casual with his good cheer.

            /Wow.  They're really good friends, aren't they./  Cloud squashed his jealousy quickly, before it really took root.  Friendship was the one thing that always made him sour, simply because he'd had so little of it.  He didn't want to ruin things with these two already, or ever, for that matter.

            "So, I've got the bike, huh?"  He walked over to the vehicle, inspecting the gauges and controls to make sure he knew where everything was, then turned back to Zack.  "Keys?" he asked.  Zack handed them over, then headed for the Jeep with Sephiroth.  "Hey, Zack?" he asked, and the older man looked over at him.  "Does he have a name?"

            Zack blinked stupidly.  "A…name?"

            "Yeah."  Cloud blushed.  "Well, I mean, a bike like this one should have a name, right?"

            Zack shook his head.  "I never thought of it.  I guess you could name him, if you like."

            Cloud smiled.  "Really?  Thanks!  After I ride him, maybe I'll know what to call him.  Funny.  He has no name, yet he's very definitely a 'he'.  Hmmm."

            Zack shrugged.  "I guess it's because he's so super masculine with all those spikes and that huge engine, and all black and big and tough looking.  It just seems to associate with a more masculine aspect.  Though, when he's being obstinate, 'he' becomes a 'she' for sure."

            Cloud blinked.  "Why?"

            Sephiroth smirked, ever so slightly.  "You'll find Zack's opinion of women is somewhat low."  One of Cloud's eyebrows rose fractionally.  Zack huffed.

            "Aw, c'mon, Seph!  I'm just waiting for the right one.  Besides, they're still alright as friends."

            Cloud was doing a mental double-take.  /His opinion of women is low?  Alright as friends?  Does that mean…?/  Cloud batted those musings away.  He really didn't need to wonder about such things.

            Giving no indication of his inner war not to think, Cloud stepped up to the bike, and swung a leg over.  He glanced over at the two SOLDIERS.  "Well?  We gonna go, or what?  I don't know where we're going, so you guys gotta lead."

            Zack nodded and Sephiroth stepped towards the Jeep.  "Okay.  You follow us, ne?  Hey, Seph!  Gimme the keys."  The silver-haired man tossed the keys in question over the roof of the jeep, and Zack neatly caught them, and climbed into the driver's seat, Sephiroth getting in on the other side.

            Cloud waited for them to start off, then followed.  He loved the bike already.  It had such power, and handled so well!  He saw a speed limit sign and realized that he was doing over twenty miles-per-hour over it.  But he was going the same speed as Zack…/I guess he wasn't kidding about enforcement here!/ Cloud thought, happy that he got to indulge his Need For Speed for a little while.

            Cloud followed the Jeep carefully, never losing track of its position, even when there were vehicles between them.  Cloud noticed that there was a predominance of bikes, muscle cars, and jeeps in the SOLDIER sector.  He knew SOLDIER pay was astronomical; they could probably afford such transportation.  Cloud wanted to be a SOLDIER even more now.

            He wished he got the opportunity to enjoy the wind in his hair like this more often.  Sure, it was a dirty wind, this was Midgar, but it was still a wind.  And, at least, they were on top of the plate, so the air was somewhat clean.  On his few trips under the plate he'd thought he would die, the air was so bad.  Being used to the crisp, cold mountain air of the Nibel region didn't help.

            Cloud settled in to enjoy his ride.

*     *     *

            "So, Zack, what's with this set-up?" Sephiroth asked quietly in the jeep.

            Zack grinned.  "Well, I don't think he's ready to sit in a small space alone with the Great General Sephiroth."

            "I could have taken the bike."

            "Yeah, but there are things I wanted to talk to you about."

            "Aa.  Such as?"  A pale eyebrow quirked.

            Zack shook his head, but kept his eerily glowing eyes on the road.  "You know what I'm talking about.  You heard Chris; he did even better than you on the written tests.  And from sparring with him today, I'd say he's in great shape, and perfect for SOLDIER.  It's obvious someone is trying to block him.  We suspected it, and he obviously thinks so, too.  And we all think it's the same person.  I just wonder if we're all jumping to conclusions."

            Sephiroth shook his head.  "No.  I know it's possible that it's someone else, but I doubt it.  He's really the only one, short of Shinra himself, with the kind of power to keep someone out.  What I really wonder about, is why?  Why would Hojo go to all this trouble to keep one kid out of SOLDIER?  Especially when said kid is so perfect for it."

            Zack scowled.  "Cloud seemed to be fairly familiar with Hojo."

            Sephiroth nodded in agreement.  "And his father had a SOLDIER weapon, but wasn't a SOLDIER."

            Zack frowned.  "Forgive me if I fail to see the significance of that.  Other than that he got his hands on a modified version of a very rare weapon."

            Sephiroth shook his head and explained as best he could, about where Cloud's father could have gotten that weapon.  When he finished, Zack sighed.  "I see all kinds of potential connections between Cloud and Hojo, now.  Joy."

            Sephiroth shrugged.  "Well, if it pisses Hojo off, then I'd be positively delighted to help get the kid into SOLDIER; even if he wasn't so perfectly cut-out for it!"

            Zack grinned.  "You bet, Seph!  If it pisses off anyone at the Shinra, I'm definitely in.  Especially for the kid.  He's just too good to pass up."

            Sephiroth glanced at Zack.  "You really do like him, don't you?"

            Zack smiled.  "Yeah."  Sephiroth stifled the irrational spurt of worried jealousy that shot through him, but not before Zack, who could read him so well, noticed.  "Aw, don't worry, Seph.  You're still my number one.  Even if I get a steady girlfriend, you're still always gonna be one of the most important people in the world to me.  Screw Shinra, and Hojo, and SOLDIER;  our friendship is what really matters."  Then Zack shot him a sly glance.  "Besides, you like him, too."

Sephiroth did something very un-Sephiroth-like.  He spluttered, fumbled for an intelligent answer, and wound up turning very, very red.  Zack just laughed and continued to drive.

*     *     *

Cloud openly gawked at the building they'd stopped at.  It was no barracks at all; it was an actual, honest-to-the-Planet house.  Okay, so a very small one, but the idea of living in a house with only one other person seemed a tremendous luxury to him.  At least, in a military setting.  Of course, Sephiroth and Zack were officers, and the two highest ranking ones in SOLDIER, at that.  That had to explain it.

Cloud was well aware that life as a commissioned officer was very different from life as enlisted or even a Warrant Officer.  As evidenced by the fact that his company commander could get away with attempting to molest minors. 

On the other hand, this was also Midgar.  The air wasn't the only thing dirty around here.  Most people here lacked what Cloud regarded as basic human decency.  It was hard living in this huge city, and most everyone had to do some rather questionable things just to survive.

Cloud was really, really, really starting to hate this city.

"Welcome to our humble abode," Zack said, practically in Cloud's ear.  Cloud twitched away from the close proximity, and turned to see Zack standing with a knowing smirk on his face.  "It is a bit bigger living quarters than you're used to, isn't it?"

Cloud settled for a quick nod.

"Their attempts at trying to force SOLDIERs to live like sardines were somewhat less than successful," Sephiroth murmured as he passed Cloud on the way to the front door.  Zack snorted, showing his opinion of that statement.

"'Somewhat less than successful'?  More like, they had half crazy super-soldiers doing their dead level best to beat the crap out of each other."

Cloud's eyebrows shot up at that before he could control his reaction.  Zack just chuckled.  "Well, everyone responds to Mako-enhancement differently, so…"

"Ah, I see.  Incompatibilities being amplified by the Mako-enhancement, leading to confrontations between squad-mates.  I see."  Cloud's voice had gone distant and impersonal, causing Sephiroth to look over his shoulder at Cloud.  Zack shook his head in disbelief.

"Planet's sake, Spike!  How the heck do you know that?"

Cloud blinked, then indicated the patch on his military-issue jumpsuit.  It was black with a tongue of flame on it in the exact color of Sephiroth's eyes.  The color of Mako.  "I'm a specialist in Mako Sciences.  It's my job to know all things related to Mako."

Sephiroth finally opened the door and stepped inside, followed by Zack, and, more hesitantly, Cloud.  Zack waved at Cloud to put his things down and motioned him to a chair.  Cloud sat carefully in it, eyes darting around the place as he made note of all the exits and any potential dangers.  Sephiroth couldn't help the ever-so-tiny quirk of an eyebrow at that.

He began to wonder just what sort of life he'd had that had left him so wary.

"Hey, Cloud!  Would you mind explaining this whole 'Mako Sciences' thing?  Since SOLDIER doesn't have conventional ranks or areas of specialization, I really don't have a clue what you're talking about."  Zack looked expectantly at him.

Cloud sighed.  "It's fairly self-explanatory.  I'm a specialist in all things relating to Mako."

"So, what?  You handle all the Materia, or something?"

Cloud nodded.  "That's part of it.  I also measure draw and growth rates on Materia, can diagnose and treat mild to moderate Mako poisoning, and over-draw …Basically, I do lots.  Those are just the really common tasks.  I also know all about Mako-enduced mutation, Mako reactors, Mako monsters…."

Cloud gave a world-weary sigh.  "But, fortunately, I'm not the only Mako Specialist in the company.  There's one of us in each platoon, so we spread the workload around.  Each one of us deals with the Materia allocation for our platoon on a daily basis, though we really don't have to deal with it that much since most of the company's fairly green and we don't use Materia much in green companies.  Shinra policy, and all."

"So you really don't do much besides handle the Materia?"  Sephiroth asked.

Cloud sighed.  "Sort of.  Those are daily tasks.  If needed, I'm supposed to be able to handle anything having anything to do with Mako.  If a reactor is having a meltdown, I'm technically supposed to be able to handle that."

"Can you really?"

"Probably, though, I've no desire to find out."  He stood and stretched.  "Now, you mentioned a shower?"

Zack nodded.  "Second door on the left.  There's soap and towels there, so feel free to use them."  Cloud nodded and pulled a spare jumpsuit out of his bag, and grinned at Zack's raised brow.

"I try to always be prepared."

"Yeah, I'll bet," Zack muttered as Cloud went off to the shower, then suddenly called Cloud back.  "If there's so much crap you're supposed to be responsible for, how do you manage?"

Cloud shrugged.  "We've got sub-specialties."

"Really?  And what's yours?" Zack inquired.

Cloud tapped another patch, this one a silver and Mako-green Dragon on a black field.  "The effects of Mako on living organisms and systems."  And Cloud vanished back to the bathroom.

Sephiroth had paled visibly, a trick considering how pale he was to start with.  "On living…."

Zack shook his head.  "Yet another thing that may link him to Hojo," he said very quietly.  Sephiroth settled for a shudder.  The intrigue was beginning to make him uneasy.

*     *     *

Cloud sighed and stretched under the hot spray.  There was never enough hot water for him.  Even though Cloud despised hot weather, he adored hot water.  He liked it just a few degrees shy of boiling, according to complaints he'd gotten, but he didn't care.  The luxury of having hot water was wonderful, and he intended to enjoy it.  He still kept an ear out for any suspicious sounds; after all, he was in the shower, and considering the sheer number of bad things that could happen when one was in the shower…

Of course, he'd locked the door, knowing perfectly well that that wouldn't keep a determined person out, especially if that person was a SOLDIER.  The sound of the door or lock giving might give him some extra warning, though.

Cloud watched the water run down the blade of the wicked-looking combat knife that went everywhere with him.  He ate with it, slept with it, showered with it, everything.

So what if he was jumpy?

It had managed to save him before, hadn't it?

But the thing Cloud found most disturbing was the fact that he trusted Sephiroth and Zack.  He'd never heard anything ill of either of them, or even any rumors that they might lean toward boys.  (The only possible indicator of that had been that comment in the parking lot.)  That usually wasn't enough to get him to trust anyone, but he just had one of those feelings.  The ones he got, from time to time, that he knew were correct.  They'd never let him down yet…

Not that he was going to tempt fate by not being prepared.

Cloud studied his body under the comforting heat of the shower.  He was going to have a few really good bruises, come morning.  He also felt the dull ache of muscles that had been at least strained, if not outright pulled.  Oh, well.  He'd just have to make absolutely sure he stretched very well, tonight.  He smiled at the already purpling bruises on his right arm and side, Zack's payback for the injury he'd sustained right off in the match.  The only bruise he was worried about was the one on his left cheek.  He couldn't see it, but he could feel it.  If Captain (and he thought the title as a curse) Banford saw it at formation tomorrow, he'd be in for one.  He didn't fear the captain, but he could be annoying.

Cloud finished his shower and turned off the water.  He grabbed one of the towels and dried off, first his knife, then himself.  After all, he wouldn't rust, but his blade might if he let it.  Then Cloud pulled on his underwear and buckled on the rig he'd made himself in Nibelheim, for he'd had the knife that long (another gift from his dead father), and slipped the knife into it.  Then he put on the clean jumpsuit and his watch.  He pulled on his socks and put his earrings in.

As he ran a hand through his damp hair, he wondered for the nth time how it could maintain those proud spikes even when wet.  He was really lucky that the regs only said that the hair could not stick out of the helmet or interfere with proper use of it.  He'd heard that some of the old militaries had had much stricter hair codes.  Since the helmet was the only headgear used by the Shinra, he didn't have to worry if his hair was poking out of his hat or that it touched his collar.  He shook his head and gathered the hair in the back into its customary ponytail, making sure enough hair escaped at the sides to hide his earrings.  He felt around to be sure everything was in its place, ignoring the mirror completely, then stepped out into the hall.

*     *     *

Zack and Sephiroth looked up as their guest stepped out of the bathroom.  Both of them looked amused with the way his hair stood up.

"Well, that must be some industrial-grade hair spray!" Zack exclaimed with a good-natured smile.

Cloud shrugged.  "Whatever."  Zack's grin broadened.  He looked like he was going to say something, when Sephiroth cut in.

"You should probably eat something, before you go home.  Isn't mess closed by now?"

Cloud looked at his watch, then nodded.  "If you have anything.  I don't want to put you guys out."

Zack shook his head.  "Don't be silly.  It's no problem.  I think we have something edible in the 'fridge, don't we, Seph?"

The tall man cocked an eyebrow.  "How should I know?  I haven't been home for a meal all week."

"Oh, yeah."  Zack shook himself.  "Well, I'm sure there's something in there.  I'll just go look."

Cloud was beginning to think that any food he ate here might be hazardous to his health.  He almost came up with a casual excuse so he could beg out of it, but Sephiroth obviously read his intent.  "Don't," he said, shaking his head.  "Let him try.  He wants to be as hospitable as possible.  You'll hurt his feelings if you try to get out of this now, and then I'll have to live with the consequences."

Cloud reluctantly settled down to see if there would be anything to eat.  After a few minutes of waiting, Zack came out with a package.  "Hey, Seph!  This looks edible, and the expiration date is a whole week from now, but since I can burn water…"

Sephiroth sighed and rolled his eyes expressively.  "Yes, Zack, I'll cook it."  He rose and grabbed the package from Zack, bearing it towards the kitchen.

"Thanks, Seph!" Zack caroled, happily, and Sephiroth turned back to face Cloud.

"You see what I have to put up with?  Argh!"  The silver-haired man disappeared into the kitchen, and started rattling dishes around.  Zack winked at Cloud.

"Don't worry.  If Seph cooks it, it'll be good and won't do you any harm."

Cloud was once again doing a mental double-take.  It had never occurred to him that Sephiroth would be the one doing the domestic duties.  He had a sudden mental image of The Great General Sephiroth in an apron, fussing around the house doing the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry, and the dishes.

Cloud burst into peals of laughter.  Zack looked at him like he was crazy, so, once he had breath to do so, Cloud told him what was so funny.  Zack started laughing, too.  Then, over the din Zack and Cloud were making, Sephiroth's voice could be heard.

"I heard that!!!"

*     *     *

Cloud smiled, and waved to his squad-mates as he entered the room.  Some of them started to look decidedly nervous; after all, Cloud was hardly the casually friendly type.  But Cloud was in a very good mood.  Dinner had been, as promised, very good, certainly better than the slop they served most of the time in the mess.  (Cloud knew all the jokes about cafeteria food, and knew that they normally weren't valid, but in the Shinra Military's case, they most certainly applied.)  During dinner, Cloud had been surprised by the amount of light banter going on, right along side bitter complaints about work.  He was surprised even more that Zack and Sephiroth had been willing to speak so openly of work-related things when they had a guest who hadn't the authorization to hear such things.  Of course, they hadn't mentioned anything classified above his clearance, but that they'd said anything at all was a great symbol of trust in him.

For the first time in his life, he'd felt really included in something.  He'd felt like…

A friend.

So, yeah, he was in a very good mood.  A good workout, a hot, private shower, a great meal, almost-friendship, and the ride back to the barracks on that wonderful motorcycle…the whole day had been great.  Long, but really good.

Cloud re-stashed his things, throwing his dirty jumpsuit in his laundry bag, and began his ritual evening stretch.  Tonight he stretched even more thoroughly than usual.  After that workout, he wanted to make absolutely sure he kept his strained muscles loose, to keep them from getting stiff and really sore.  He wished fleetingly that he had thought to take along some of the cream his mother had made for him to help bruises heal.  He had it in his drawer, but he wasn't about to strip down to treat himself in front of his sleepy and half-drunk roommates.  Not to mention, it would start people asking questions he really didn't feel like answering so late at night.

Cloud curled up into his bed, stealthily slipping his knife under his body where it wouldn't be seen, but was still in easy reach.  Putting it under his pillow was just too obvious.  Then, he fell into a comfortable sleep, deep enough to be restful, but light enough that he could hear what was going on around him.

The Midgar night passed by a tired soldier who felt like a cat who'd caught the canary.  And gotten some catnip and cream to go alongside.

*     *     *

Am I the only one who names their vehicles?  Just wondering!  Anyone have any ideas for the bike's name?  I had a really good one, which I promptly forgot….  Ooh, the intrigue!  Just how does Cloud know all the stuff he knows?  You'll just have to keep reading!  Mwahahahahaha! *ahem* And a jumpy little Cloud?  Poor baby!  I hope you all enjoyed Domestic Duties Sephiroth!!!! *smirk*